SMF is only as good as the person recording them....even with a few limitations certainly they are more creative then repetitious styles to a point. They leave more creativeness to the artist vs an automatic styles which in essence is a MIDI File also.

MIDI files leave MORE creativeness to the artist? How that? The musician cannot even control the chords played.
It is only true if the midi file is self-made!
Otherwise it's just a big step further towards mere David Guetta DJing instead of live music.

Donny, I'm still patiently awaiting to hear one of those backing tracks you have created so meticulously and use on stage.

And, style files, for the most part, are nothing more than looping midi files. They can be used right out of the box, or very creatively, depending upon the playing skills of the performer.

Gary

that's the point Gary,......you shouldn't notice that at all....
adding/removing parts here and there using the KB and changing the arrangement to suit your particular style is what it's all about. All done on the PC.

all the best

Hi Donny,
I'm not too good on picking up individual tracks in a backing,
was it basically a style with added string tracks, ( luv those soaring strings) styles normally don't play those type of string parts except in intro's / endings?

I had some free time and spent that free time "surfing." Thought I listen to some MIDI files to see if they've progressed or regressed from years ago. This one caught my attention. It sounds, to me, almost a photostat of the original. Then again I realized I'm listening to it on my small computer speakers. I'm wondering if it would sound that good on a TOTL arranger.

All By Myself — Eric Carmen

Thanks Donny,
I was referring to that particular song you shared, I was assuming you'd added the strings to a style ( possibly even more tracks)but the strings stood out for me.

It's funny how we dumb a midifile down to turn it into a style ( guilty) when the original midifile sounds so much better.

Been playing round with a midifile of sentimental journey. It has some wonderful string parts that can't be duplicated in a style. Yes, I can replicate the intro and ending, but I can't replicate the melodic string parts, they all but have to be dumbed down to a pad.
My time would probably be better spent tweaking the midifile with better sounds than the Gm ones it has.

I did do a style way back for my pa800. I basically chopped a midifile into sections.
No Chord Changes, but I could play a verse or a chorus as I chose, by just pressing the variations. Gave a bit more freedom than just playing the midifile straight. Only thing it did, was limit me to 8 tracks, but it was enough. The whole style was based on the settings for an intro,

Given me good for thought Donny.

Rikki are you using a DAW program like the ones mentioned in my post, etc,?....recording into your PC using your KB and then turning the finished product into a backing track to use in any way you wish can give you much more freedom and editing power then just on your KB..good luck there are
no rules ...

I gather those midifiles can't be downloaded?

Hi Rikki.......you can download any of them on the page. He's says they're all free to download. Just click on it and a dialogue box will come up asking if you want to listen or download.

I thought a few of the other MIDI files were interesting also.

Mark